Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Known as the Detroit Spinners in the UK, The Spinners recorded with Motown's V.I.P. label from 1964 to 1971 and in that time managed to leave a lasting mark on the Northern Soul scene. Their track 'I'll Always Love You,' which was written by Hunter and Stevenson in 1965, became a Northern Soul favourite with original UK Tamla Motown pressings often selling for over L500. 'What More Could A Boy Ask For'' is a 1966 gem by Bristol and Fuqua, which remained unreleased until its inclusion as a bonus track on the 2012 Yours Truly CD. Now, it receives its first official 7" vinyl release on the B-side of this one from Outta Sight.

Review: SAULT's masterful combination of soul, funk and gospel has made them a major underground phenomenon and that's a position that this, their 11th album, only helped to reinforce when it emerged in December 2024. Helmed by producer Inflo and featuring Cleo Sol's velvety vocals, the album unfolds as a seamless 32-minute suite of nine tracks, brimming with lush instrumentals and poignant themes of love, connection and resilience. While it leans less on the political sharpness of 2020's Untitled (Black Is), the album's spiritual undertones and hopeful messages shine with equal brilliance. From the Marvin Gaye-esque syncopations of opener 'I Look For You' to the jazz-infused 'Set Your Spirit Free', each song flows effortlessly into the next. Tracks like 'Soul Clean' and 'Someone To Love You' evoke 70s funk with wah-wah guitars and vibrant percussion, while the sensual, gospelly closer 'Pray For Me' wraps the album in shimmering strings and heartfelt intimacy. Despite its repetitive moments, the dynamic arrangements and Cleo Sol's stirring delivery keep the momentum alive. For those seeking solace or upliftment, Acts of Faith offers a cohesive and soul-nourishing experienceiits blend of genres and meditative beauty, a comforting reminder of music's power to heal.

Review: Dean Josiah Cover AKA Info's Sault collective has been one of the success stories of the last few years - a hard-to-pigeonhole outfit that manages to knock out inspired albums at a rate of knots. Their latest full-length, '11', is another brilliant and must-check excursion. Largely lo-fi, languid and laidback, it delivers a particularly loose and lo-fi take on soul - blessed with their usual nods to Afrobeat and soundsystem culture - whose instrumentation is deliberately sparse and laidback (think bass guitar, drums and guitar). The results are rarely less than impeccable, with the collective's vocals (both female and male singers feature) rising above vintage-sounding grooves and arrangements that variously doff a cap to Sly Stone, Cymande and - on the drowsy, warming and synth-sporting 'Higher' - the more tactile end of British 80s soul.

Review: Mysterious UK music collective Sault are now, rather amazingly, onto their 11th studio full-length album. Acts Of Faith keeps faithful to their terrific blend of deep soul, funk and modern gospel, and yet their collective identity remains elusive despite many a Mercury and MOBO garnered over the years. A core virtue of theirs is to sidestep industry pressures and rules in favour of a rawer expression in moods of spiritual uplift, and Acts Of Faith is no exception, manifesting without (much) PR fanfare. From the driving, hangout pysch-funk of 'I Look For You' to the aseptic spaghetti groove 'Soul Clean', not to mention the closing clasp 'Pray For Me' - replete with wide, intervallic string leaps reminiscent of a Bernard Hermann score - this is another sensitive record by Sault, representing the grief-stricken but ever open integrity of an inimitable modern soul "choir".

Review: When she started her career just over a decade ago, Cleopatra Nikolic AKA Cleo Sol was considered a singer-for-hire within the international deep house community. Now, with the assistance of beat-maker Inflo, she's decided to strike out on her own via a quietly impressive solo debut that re-casts her as a genuinely fresh and exciting soul talent. Beginning with the layered acapella vocals and deep, jazzy grooves of stunning opener "One Love", the album sees her brilliantly deliver heartfelt and thoughtful lyrics over hazy backing tracks that brilliantly join the dots between jazz, neo-soul and R&B. While she's undoubtedly the star of the show, Inflo's stripped-back, partially acoustic and largely soft-focus production is also worthy of high praise.